Ever since Amy came out to me, I've tried to help her work through a lot of the coming out process and the life changes following her separation. I've always been somewhat of a free-thinker. When society tells me that I have to, I ask why. I've always felt a tugging towards helping people make mental connections that they might have not considered in their own lives, and have had the benefit of mental health professionals both during my transition and to a lesser extent in the rest of my life.

It's really been helping Amy out that has gotten me thinking about making an attempt at going to college. I've never been much for academia to be quite honest with y'all. But for me it wouldn't be about how hard I'd have to work to get a degree nor the money that being a psychologist would make. It's more about helping people, more about helping those not ready to deal with big decisions maintain until they are able to, more about trying to minimize depression and the downward spiral people can sometimes end up in when their self-esteem or self-image has been shattered.

So I"m looking at the closest college to our house - Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (SIUE) - mostly because it offers a Masters in Psychology and it's just off the MetroLink, which would make it fairly easy to get to even if either Amy or Al aren't home. It's also not lost on me that the poly situation may be somewhat of a blessing if I'm pursuing a degree. I just don't want either of them to think that I'm using the situation solely for my gain, though. That's the last thing I want!

Amy had said something last night about not having a wholly idealized image of a profession before jumping into studies and getting a degree. I realize that the majority of people I would see would be in a less-than-great place in their lives. Yet that's precisely why I'd like to do that type of work: to help others help themselves.

This isn't the only piece of good news: Al got a new job yesterday with a local hospital, which would alleviate a lot of the financial problems we've been having since I lost my job in November. It's probably a good time to get an education with the economy being in the crapper and all. Not feeling like the only one without a job will eventually help me feel better about myself (not to mention more productive if I'm working towards a degree), presuming that the girls can hold down the fort for me financially until financial aid comes through. :-S I hate dealing with money stuff, though! GAH! But I realize that I'll have to swallow my pride and work on the financial aid end of it at some point.

So, anyway, yeah... big announcement and all. :-P